Critic Reviews

Like many great games before Tanglewood, you can easily lose hours playing and find something new each time you play. Take charge of your senses, transport yourself to the 90s and grab yourself a copy. You won’t regret it.

Tanglewood is a brilliantly compelling platformer that boasts not only great gameplay, visuals and music but compatibility with original SEGA hardware and a physical Mega Drive cartridge release to boot. I highly recommend trying it for yourselves, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Tanglewood looks gorgeous - the game's aesthetic is remarkably varied with levels providing various biomes for you to explore. At times it even reminds us of the much more recent Limbo with Nymn silhouetted against a gorgeous sunset soaked backdrop. The audio is very much inline with the 1990s chip tunes - and it helps to transport the player back to a simpler time where gaming didn't have to be a huge commitment of time.

It’s been a very long time since I played a 16-bit puzzle/platformer that’s been this charming and impressing as Big Evil Corporation’s “Tanglewood” is. As a matter of fact, I would have to go back to the 16-bit golden era of the 90s to find games such as “Sonic”, “The Lion King” and “Another World” to even have any titles to compare “Tanglewood” to. Simply put, “Tanglewood” is a must play for fans of 16-bit puzzle/platformers.

By every account, Tanglewood is a retro trailblazer undoubtedly worth checking out. It’s not easy and won’t hand you any answers, but if you’re a true fan of the Mega Drive era, there’s no way you can pass this up. It takes everything that was technologically available and brings out the absolute best of those capabilities. My big hope is that there will be many more to follow in Tanglewood’s steps.

It combines a lot of platforming with a sprinkling of puzzles and exploration. Every ability mixes the game up and generally, you love it all. In short, this is a must own for any retro fans or gamers wanting the challenge only old games gave. Excellent title.

Developed with genuine Sega Genesis tools, Tanglewood is the epitome of retro throwbacks. Outside of that novelty, Tanglewood succeeds through its intuitive puzzle design, constant drip of new mechanics, and varied locations. While the general lack of music and slow introduction do detract from the game, the sum of its parts is a genuinely great 2D platformer worthy of your time.

Nevertheless, I think Tanglewood is a pretty good game. There is a fantastic atmosphere conveyed by the graphics and sounds alike, and the puzzle-platforming gameplay wrapped within is solid stuff. The fact that it’s built with the same exact hardware and materials used to make SEGA Genesis games back in the day is extra impressive. I just feel there are a few things that could be ironed out so nothing gets in the way of the game’s impact.

Overall, Tanglewood is a cute 2D platformer that will appeal to retro and modern gaming fans alike. The graphic style and soundtrack will make fans of the 16 bit era feel like they are booting their consoles for the first time all over again. Despite it’s flaws, Tanglewood is a successful end result of an ambitious project whose creativity and ingenuity should be celebrated and replicated for many years to come.

All in all though Tanglewood sets out to deliver us a Mega Drive game, and it does that successfully, sticking to the tropes and styles of two decades ago. It might not be for everyone's tastes for that very reason, but it's got a lot to look at, collectibles to find, cute characters to see, and plenty of lovely environments. It's even got that iconic spookiness you'll remember from games like Ecco the Dolphin and Sonic, and if that isn't a testament to how faithfully the Mega Drive spirit has been recreated, we don't know what is.

Overall Tanglewood is a charming game that features likable protagonists, a vibrant world and overall a highly authentic experience for anyone looking to dive into a 16 bit SEGA Mega Drive nostalgia rush. Just when it seems it might start to feel a bit repetitive, the game introduces new mechanics to try and keep the player engaged and despite at points feeling unfair on the player, the unlimited lives and checkpoints often help paper over this and you’ll find yourself coming back to it again to try and overcome the obstacle. For better or for worse, Tanglewood is truly a 90s game, there is no cutting edge graphics or revolutionary idea, nor is it trying to be that but instead a true jump back in time and a neat little puzzle platformer. For any fan of the Mega Drive it’s a must, so grab it if you want to relive a bit of the 90s again!